Systems and methods for sorting and dispensing packages
AssigneeAI International, Inc.
InventorsJohn Senninger, Christopher Phillips
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for sorting and dispensing packages can include a flip gate assembly. The flip gate assembly can include a base, an inclined surface, one or more support legs extending from the base to the inclined surface, an actuator attached to the base, and a flip gate pivotably attached to the inclined surface. The flip gate can be configured to be actuated by the actuator between a retracted configuration, in which a top side of the flip gate is planar with a top surface of the inclined surface, and an extended configuration, in which the top side of the flip gate is disposed at an angle with respect to the top surface of the inclined surface.
Claims20
A system for sorting and dispensing packages, comprising:
- a flip gate assembly, including:
- a base frame including a front frame member, a rear frame member, and a support frame member disposed between the front and rear frame members;
- an inclined surface;
- a pair of sidewalls arranged on laterally opposed sides of the inclined surface;
- one or more support legs extending from the base frame to the inclined surface;
- an actuator pivotably attached to the support frame member of the base frame;
- and
- a flip gate pivotably attached to the inclined surface, the flip gate being configured to be moveable relative to the inclined surface and the pair of sidewalls by the actuator between a retracted configuration, in which a top side of the flip gate is planar with a top surface of the inclined surface, and an extended configuration, in which the top side of the flip gate is disposed at an angle with respect to the top surface of the inclined surface.
A system for sorting and dispensing packages, comprising:
- a flip gate assembly including:
- at least two inclined surfaces;
- at least two sidewalls extending vertically between the at least two inclined surfaces from an upper end to a lower end of the at least two inclined surfaces;
- at least two flip gates pivotably attached to the at least two inclined surfaces, respectively;
- and
- at least two actuators pivotably coupled to the at least two flip gates, respectively,
- wherein the at least two flip gates are configured to be actuated by the at least two actuators, respectively, between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration with respect to the at least two inclined surfaces, and
- wherein, with the at least two flip gates in the extended configuration, the at least two flip gates are disposed entirely between the upper and lower ends of the at least two inclined surfaces.
A method of sorting and dispensing packages, comprising:
- actuating one or more flip gates of a flip gate assembly to an extended configuration;
- receiving one or more first packages at the one or more flip gates;
- holding the one or more first packages at the one or more flip gates;
- receiving one or more second packages at the one or more flip gates that have a characteristic that is the same as that of the one or more first packages;
- actuating the one or more flip gates to a retracted configuration;
- and
- dispensing the one or more first and second packages from the one or more flip gates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.